London is a city of small towns, each different, and yet all collectively ‘London’. It is canals and skyscrapers, parks and pubs and corner shops, with town centres and high streets being some of the more inclusive spaces the city offers, serving those who may be marginalised or under-represented in other areas of the city. This project shows how it is vital that these spaces, and their roles in social integration, health, and well-being, are not overlooked by ensuring these spaces adapt to the city’s changing needs.
Edgware is no exception to this: growing from a small market town to bustling city suburb, the approach was to address the opportunities and challenges facing Edgeware town centre by piloting participatory activities that might inform a longer-term diversification of its uses. By improving the experience of both visitors and residents, the aim was to ensure Edgware was more than just “the end of the line”.
The proposal was to create a common ground, celebrating the different cultures and groups that occupied its high street and surrounding areas. Shifting functions from day to night, introducing activities that were non-typical to the average high street, an approach of reinforcing the idea of civic space through way-finding, surface treatment, and street furniture was envisioned.
Community engagement sat at the core of a design strategy to encourage public value in a proposal created collectively. The community would be invited to nurture their public realm with the hope of creating a supportive urban ecosystem with a greater local impact and resilience, forming an infrastructure of play along Station Road, which included a new temporary car park, signage, and visual language.
Location: London
Year: 2023